Feds, SD Chiropractor Association Reach Settlement SIOUX FALLS. SD The U.S. Department of Justice savs it has reached a settlement with a chiropractor association in South Dakota over fixed prices. The department's Antitrtist Division filed a civil lawsuit against Chiropractic Associates Ltd. of South Dakota. The association comprises approximately 80 percent of all practicing chiropractors in the state. The Department of Justice says the association negotiated at least seven contracts with insurers that set prices for chiropractic sen ices, which caused consumers to pay higher fees. The proposed settlement will prevent the association from establishing prices or terms and from negotiating with insurers on behalf of competing chiropractors. It must still be approved by the court. Source: Rapid City Journal Chiropractor sued for Damaging Breast Implant SYDNEY. AUSTRALIA A judge in Sydney. Australia, awarded a woman $51.137 in damages after her chiropractor dislodged one of her breast implants while he adjusted her back in 2008. Amanda Jurkovic. 33. claimed the damaged implant destroyed her sex life and led to the breakdown of her marriage, the Daily Telegraph reports. Judge Michael Finnanc tailed chiropractor Paul Hubbard was negligent because he failed to ask her if she had prior surgery or medical problems before "compressing her breasts" against the treatment table, the newspaper reported. Jurkovic. a beautician from Winmalcc. said her deformed breast caused her to be too embarrassed to have sex with her husband and led to their separation. "She is a young, fit looking and attractive woman to whom her appearance is very important. She is entitled, in my opinion, to substantial compensation." Finnanc said. Source: Toroto Sun Blue Cross Must Pay $4M For Dropping Patient-Advocate Doc A doctor who claimed health insurer retaliated against him for being a strong patient advocate, has won a $3.8 million verdict against the insurer. Jeffrey Nordclla. a family-practice and urgent care doctor, used to be a preferred provider on the Anthem Blue Cross network, a unit of insurance giant WellPoint Inc. During that time. Nordclla challenged the insurer's decisions to deny his patients claims for coverage. He often protested Anthem's denial of coverage because it wasn't "medically necessary" and he even met with top Anthem officials in 2001. When he applied to be a provider again in 2010. the insurer rejected his application. Nordclla sued Anthem, arguing that the reason he was not allowed in the network was in retaliation for sticking up for his patients. Anthem claimed it did not need any more family practitioners because it already had 137 primary-care doctors in its network within 10 miles of Nordclla. who was medical director of an urgent-care clinic and family medicine in southern California. But at trial the insurance company could only name seven doctors, according to Nordclla's attorney. Theresa Barta. Barta argued that in order to lower costs and boost its profits. Anthem intentionally cuts doctors from its network to make it harder for patients to get care. The jury found that Anthem denied the doctor's right to a "fair procedure" with "malice, oppression or fraud." and originally awarded Nordclla $4.49 million. However, the jurors found he was 15 percent to blame for his loss of income and which cut down the award to $3.8 million. The second phase of the trial began on Apr. 12. Barta argued that the jury should punish Anthem based on a portion of its profits of $525 million in 2010. If the jury agrees. Nordclla"s award could be increased. Source: lawyers.com Pass on the information to inform other D.C. s about events that are really happening to chiropractors. Forfiirther information, fax 1-305-716-9212. Write us at editoriaMamchiropractor.com or #CO138, 8619 NW 68th St., Miami, FL 33166. Source: Toroto Sun
